As a chain hoist lifts a load, a slack chain portion of the load lift chain system exits from the hoist load lift wheel, and exits below the body of the hoist. It is essential from the standpoint of operating personnel safety/convenience that this "slack" portion of the chain be kept out of the way of the operator's environment; and especially in the case of a trolley-carried hoist it is essential that the slack portion of the chain be confined within some kind of receiving bucket or carrier means at an elevation above the working environment, and into and out of which the slack portion of the chain may be freely be deposited/withdrawn. Slack chain receiving means have been previously furnished to the industry, but by nature of their construction and/or their suspension systems they have been unduly vulnerable to operational damaging hazards U.S. Pat. No. 2,859,937 illustrates an example of prior art constructions.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide, in combination with an electric chain hoist an improved slack chain transport chute accessory device; and depending therefrom a vertically flexible and omni-directionally resilient slack chain carrier. The carrier is formed of shock/wear resistant materials, and is therefore substantially invulnerable to damage whem slammed against such as by the load being lifted or such as when the carrying trolley conveys it against an obstacle. Inasmuch as the carrier comprises a combination of horizontally and vertically resilient components, external blows thereagainst have little or no damaging effects.